Kwan-Yin, the goddess of mercy, is worshiped with great pomp on the nineteenth day of the second month, which is the anniversary of her birth, and also on the anniversaries of her death and canonization. The story of the career of this canonized Buddhist nun is full of marvels, and it is scarcely possible to enter her temples without finding women and children in them. On her anniversaries, women resort to them in large numbers, and light incense-sticks at the sacred lamp above the altar. They carry the burning incense to their homes, as the smoke is supposed to possess a purifying effect. Other votaries, who have sick relatives, expose tea to the smoke, which rises in clouds from the incense burning on the altar. On their return home they administer the tea to the sick. Kwan-Yin is also much worshiped during the Tsing-Ming, or Worshiping of Graves, as she is supposed to extend her protecting care over the souls of departed ones. Paper representations of clothes, houses, servants and sedan chairs, fashioned of the same material, are at such a season burnt in front of her altars. The goddess is supposed to convey these offerings to the departed spirits for whom they are intended. The ceremony is usually performed at midnight. At this season, also, ladies resort to her temples to pray for afflicted husbands or children. The form of worship observed on such occasions is conducted by Buddhist priests. Two tables are placed, about six feet apart, in front of the idol, and fruits and flowers are arranged upon them as offerings. The ladies sit or kneel near the tables, and the priests march round them to slow music. The music quickens, and at last the priests are found careering round the tables. This absurd service is brought to a close by the priests rushing wildly toward the ladies, and in most extravagant terms tendering them their congratulations. [Illustration: COLOSSAL GILDED BUDDHA--Fifty feet high; carved from the solid rock.] [Illustration: ALTAR OF A CHINESE PAGODA, NEAR THE KIN-CHA RIVER, WESTERN CHINA.] The temples in honor of the Goddess of Mercy are very numerous throughout the empire. In the most important of these, at Canton, were at one time several ornaments of great value, which had been presented to the goddess by the Emperor Taou-kwang, in return for blessings which she was supposed to have conferred on the southern portion of the empire. One of these was a jade-stone ornament of great value, which was presented in acknowledgment of a victory which the goddess was supposed to have given to the Chinese troops over the British barbarians, as they are called, in 1841. THE WORSHIP OF KUM-FA.